Crawley 0 - Pompey 3

Pompey off the mark!

Pompey got three points on the board for the first time this season, the ref will hosg the headlines no doubt, but Pompey fired in 3 goals against the nine men, and after our run of luck, who cares how gutted Crawley are!!

Pompey made the shortish 60 mile trip to West Sussex for a first visit to Crawley, the midweek win had bouyed the troops and the team were roared on by nearly half the 5,000 crowd.

Crawley dominated the early proceedings, hogging possesion although Pompey were to find the net only for Rodgers to be rightly flagged offside.

Gabor Gyepes was making his debut and looked like the steady head at the back we were crying out for, his debut became a nightmare after 40 minutes however as he limped off with suspected ankle ligament damage.

The first half was scrappy to say the least, Pompey were regularly caught offside and Crawley found few chances.

Just before half-time the game was turned upside down, Simpson who had just been booked was adjudged to have bought down McLeod, the second yellow was waved and even to this biased fan, the red seemed harsh with McLeod going down easily.

Half time arrived and Pompey suddenly had a great chance to record a first win, Compton forcing a fine tip over from Paul Jones.

Pompey were predictably now dominating possesion, although Crawley still looked dangerous on the counter.

On 71 minutes Crawley went down to 9, this time Akpan walked, his second yellow was deserved mind, again clipping McLeod as he raced away.

The extra men advantage told only minutes later, Ashley Harris who had only just come on stole in at the far post to meet fellow apprentice Webster's lovely cross, he headed down into the net and Pompey were on their way.

Controversy then led to our second goal, Crawley felt that Howard should of seen a second yellow after tangling with Bulman, Pompey broke and earned a free kick on the edge of the Crawley box, this was to prove vital, so often Pompey have wasted such opportunities, Rodgers though curled beautifully into the top corner with Jones a spectator.

The goals were not finished though, Harris won possesion and fed McLeod, he rounded Jones and the win was was complete, Pompey are off and running and things look brighter!

Star Player

Ashley Harris was the catalyst for the win, he scored one and made one, the local lad did good!

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Tough on Crawley but that tw*t Berry from last week was tough on us so instead of, maybe two drawn games we win one and lose one - one point better off. Maybe things do even out. Re our football, though, either we learn to pass the ball and move better and so pass our way out of this division or we learn to toughen up and deal with the constant 'in yer face wrestling' style that most teams seem to dish up.

Etp I think you are right - we weren't that great if we are honest and I lost got seriously frustrated with Mclouds failure to concern himself with the off side rule. I believe we missed Dumbaya and his link play with Rodgers. Thought we should be had a pen but strange decisions all round from the Ref except the sending 2nd sending off and the departure of their manager ; what's the point of having a go at the 4th official? Crawley fans dont seem to be a particularly nice lot. Anyway a win's a win only - 8 points above the drop now so keep it up.

Hi everyone, just registered. Apart from seeing Pompey in the semi of the cup final I haven'tbeen a regular visitor to Fratton Park since the days of Hiron andMarinello, yes I'm getting on. I live near Crawley now so took the chance to see the game on Sunday and what a great afternoon it was, not just because we won but because it was so good to watch the game from a distance of a few feet and because we were watching players who really seemed to want to play football and not just for the money as it was under Redknapp'smanagement. I also laughed at the good old Pompey humour in the chanting - "let's all have a disco" - are we in a library" etc. Keep it up boys, keep it up.

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